Mickey 17 Is a Fascinating Premise That Fails to Reach Its Potential

Published on January 07, 2026 | Translated from Spanish
Image of the protagonist from Mickey 17 in a space environment, wearing an astronaut suit and a starry background, reflecting the themes of cloning and exploration.

The movie Mickey 17 presents an intriguing idea: a man who accepts dying and being cloned repeatedly as part of a space colonization process. Although the premise promises a deep exploration of themes like identity and mortality, the movie fails to exploit all its potential, settling for a superficial narrative that leaves the viewer with more questions than answers.

Expectations vs. Reality

After its presentation at the Berlin Festival, expectations around Mickey 17 were high. However, the movie does not live up to the promise of being a deep and reflective science fiction work. Although it has brilliant moments, it gets lost in easy jokes and scenes that do not contribute to the development of its central plot. What could have been a philosophical exploration of life and death ends up being a story that settles for the superficial.

"Mickey 17 has a fascinating premise, but it fails to delve into the dilemmas it raises."

Narrative Problems

Cloning and Death: An Unresolved Dilemma

One of the most interesting aspects of Mickey 17 is its focus on cloning and death as work tools. However, the movie does not take advantage of this premise to pose deep questions about the meaning of life or identity. Instead of delving into these themes, the plot limits itself to showing repetitive situations that bring nothing new to the science fiction genre.

Missed Opportunities

A Universe that Deserved More Attention

The universe of Mickey 17 has potential to be fascinating, but the movie does not explore it enough. Instead of delving into the psychology of a man who faces constant death and resurrection, the plot gets distracted by secondary elements, such as interactions with aliens. What could really have been interesting is learning more about the context in which people are forced to take on such extreme jobs.

Underutilized Elements

A Wasted Opportunity

Although Mickey 17 has a solid foundation, it fails to become the great science fiction movie it could have been. The lack of depth in the treatment of its key themes and its focus on the superficial detract from the impact of a story that promised to be a reflection on life, death, and identity. It is a movie that, despite its potential, falls short.

What It Could Have Been

"Mickey 17 is a reminder that a good premise is not enough if it is not explored in depth."

In short, Mickey 17 is a movie that, although it has interesting moments, fails to meet the expectations generated by its fascinating premise. It is a wasted opportunity to create a memorable work in the science fiction genre.